The EPQ production log: what to write, and when
The log is the evidence of how you managed your project. It supports the marks for managing, using resources and reviewing, so it matters as much as the dissertation. Write it as you go, never at the end.
What the log covers
AQA's specification says its Production Log and Assessment Record documents: the proposal and its approval, your initial idea and plan, the research you did and resources you used, advice you received and what you did about it, changes to your plan and why, a review of the finished product, and a record of the presentation. Pearson's Dissertation unit uses an activity log to record the process. Use the official form your school gives you.
What to record in a maths project
- The date and what you did, in one or two sentences.
- Decisions and the reason for each: why this model, this proof, this data set.
- Dead ends: the proof that failed, the model that did not fit, and what you learned.
- Advice from your supervisor and what you did as a result.
- Sources as you read them, with full details.
- Any AI tool you used, what for, and when (see the AI guide).
Example entries (written for this page)
Weak: "Did more research on the SIR model."
Better: "Solved the SIR equations with Euler's method at step 1 day; the infected curve went negative. Halved the step twice and the problem disappeared at 0.25 days. Decision: use 0.25 days and show the step-size test in the appendix."
Common mistakes
- Writing the whole log at the end: it reads as invented and loses its value as evidence.
- Recording what you did but not why.
- Hiding problems: changes of plan, explained, are good evidence of management.
- Leaving the final review until after the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my EPQ production log after completing a section?
The log is meant to be a record made at the time. Add a new dated entry explaining any change rather than rewriting earlier entries, and follow your school's rules.
How often should I write in my EPQ log?
Every time you work on the project or meet your supervisor, even briefly. Short, dated, honest entries are worth more than long ones written later.
Your EPQ must be your own work. These pages coach: ideas, structure, checklists and planning. Submitting text, proofs, code or analysis written by someone else or by an AI tool as your own is malpractice. How to use help and AI honestly.